yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
I'm getting close to releasing. I wrote a new bookmark manager that stores bookmarks in a JSON format and is superior to my prior crude implementation. It allows for export of backup and import from backup and has the underlying ability to have custom ordering and folder support. I'm not quite ready to add in custom bookmark ordering and folders but the underlying code is now there. All I have left to do is add in the UI for the export and import of bookmarks.

I've been slowed down by the fact that I'm working on Thunder Browser which utilizes a different UI than Lightning and I am keeping the codebases in sync.
[Android Apps and Games] Valiante:
Sorry for the late reply!

Yeah edge gestures would definitely ruin the drawer experience but is adding gestures like UC browser possible? It works quite well to be honest, I figured it'd work well in lightning as well.

Also an issue that I notice quite a bit is how quickly the browser's address bar pops up (when in fullscreen mode). When I'm reading a page or just browsing around, even the slightest movement downward causes the bar to jump out and thus push the page downwards as well. It's not a make-or-break aspect of the browser but it is most definitely very annoying.
[Android Apps and Games] juried:
Yeam maybe the address bar could be super-imposed on the top of the page, to prevent the page jumping down? I find that quite annoying too.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Yes, I need to address this (and I will address this)
[Android Apps and Games] tcspirit:
Good browser
[Android Apps and Games] kevint27:
Hi, would you need any help to improve French translation? I'd be glad to help!
[Android Apps and Games] themichael:
Loving this browser. Only issue I have is that when I sometimes open links from different apps like a text message or from LinkedIn Pulse it causes a wake lock, forcing the app to "Stay Awake." Closing the tab does not solve the problem, I have to close the app/clear it from memory. I noticed this problem with the AOSP browser as well - could it be webkit related?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
That could be the case as I don't ever set a wake lock in the app unless there's a full screen video in which case I enable and disable it as it shows/hides.
[Android Apps and Games] themichael:
Attached are some pictures for reference. My phone was idle when "stay awake" accumulated.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Just FYI, I found an open source library (old version of Readability) that will allow me to generate client side reading modes of websites. So I will be adding a reader mode to Lightning. For anyone interested, the relevant JavaScript can be found at http://arc90labs-readability.googlecode.com/svn/trunk
[Android Apps and Games] Optimissimus99:
Thats awesome
[Android Apps and Games] LazyT:
Nice browser, thank you. :good:

Some suggestions (user defined options):

- don't close app when closing last tab

- open new tabs in foreground

- open new tab directly on long press and don't show dialog
[Android Apps and Games] bsinclair:
Quick question, why between version 3.05 and 3.06 support for Android 2.3 was dropped? Is it possible to get it back?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Thanks for the suggestions, I don't think I'll be adding them, but I may change my mind.

I dropped support because the navigation drawer wasn't compatible with 2.3. Now that I've built Thunder browser (still only on Github) there may be a way for me to backport it to gingerbread. I can't promise, but I will take a shot at it.
[Android Apps and Games] barth2:
I'd like to ask for an inverted text mode.

The RSS reader app gReader app has this. It inverts text color so the usual black text on white background on most sites becomes white text on black background.

Please see attached pic. Note that it does not invert the entire window, so images remain the same. This is an extra plus but I'd be happy either way.

I have eye sensitivity to light so this is a huge deal for me, but I have not seen this feature in any browser. The asop browser used to have an accessibility feature like this but it got broken in kit Kat and no fix so far. Firefox is the closest with a style modifying add on but Firefox is slow and a memory hog.

Hope you consider this. Thank you.

PS is there a way to get physical tabs?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Check a couple pages back, I'm adding an inverted mode [emoji41]

As for physical tabs, there's a different version (Thunder Browser) that has them at Github.com/Thunder-Browser
[Android Apps and Games] awais_2:
Suggestion - Set Download Directory to External SD card

Hello :), thank you for the great app.

Please can you add the ability to change the download directory to the external SD card?

I have a LG Optiplex 2X (P990) and have installed the F-Droid version of this app.

Thank you,

Awais
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
What version of android are you running?
[Android Apps and Games] awais_2:
I am running Android version 4.4.4.
[Android Apps and Games] KalenDRON3000:
Oh, open source! Tnx!
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
And here lies the problem :(

Google changed the way android worked in 4.4 and the command to access external storage no longer accesses the SD Card. It's obnoxious and annoying.

For further details...

Basically the command to get the path to external storage is Environment.getExternalStoragePath(). This is how you get the path to the external storage/SD card. Prior to 4.4, the path returned either the path to the sd card, or the path to the fake external storage (if you didnt have an sd card). In 4.4, Google changed it so that it won't give a path to the sd card anymore, presumably because they think sd cards are insecure.

Sorry about this.
[Android Apps and Games] iobling:
I'm really liking this browser and it's become my default browser! Nice job!!

I've also two suggestion for future features:

- a start page with some pages that can be opened directly (like firefox) would be useful, especially for the website I check daily

- a share button, in addition to the copy button
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Good suggestion for the start page, do you think (or anyone else think) that it should be auto generated, like say I put the three most visited sites on the page, or should you manually chose?

As for sharing, press the menu and there is a share option.
[Android Apps and Games] iobling:
In my opinion it would be better if I can manually choose the sites, but maybe a better solution is to do it automatically if the user hasn't set them manually or, in the case there are a certain number of slots, auto-generate only the ones that haven't been set manually.

Found the share option. I haven't found it before because there is a wrong translation to Italian, it's "azione" but it should be "condividi", which means "share".
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Ah thanks. Maybe I auto populate them and then you can long press and change the website of the shortcut if you want.

I'll change the translation of share, I had no way of knowing as I unfortunately don't speak Italian.
[Android Apps and Games] iobling:
That would be good for me!

Since you don't speak italian, i'm willing to help you translate it if you want (there aren't any other wrong or not completly correct translations, but the app is half in english and half in italian)
[Android Apps and Games] Optimissimus99:
The start page is a really good idea, but maybe you can roll out the latest update to play store. Another good idea: I think there is a beta tester option in play store. Maybe you can create a beta group and use them for testing :)
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Excellent idea. It would probably speed up releases too as a lot of my delay is from lack of testing. I'll look into setting up a beta this afternoon.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
First question, for a beta in the Play Store, there are two options: the first is to use a Google Group which you can join to become part of the beta test, and secondly there are Google+ Communities. The Google+ option seems easiest, but that would require you to be a google+ user and I know a lot of people on this forum are privacy aware and may not want to use Google.

So what do you vote for?
[Android Apps and Games] PhilDX:
I vote for an apk posted on your GitHub site :)

otherwise, I think Google+ is fine, lots of developers are using it for betas now
[Android Apps and Games] tschmid:
Google+ and Google Group ?

Gesendet von meinem LG-D855 mit Tapatalk
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
Can this app browse with inverted colors but not inverting the images?

i mean

white letters, black background,. and images with their default colors

that would be really awesome

any way to achieve that in this browser or any other solution? thanks
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
I haven't figured out a way to do this right now.
[Android Apps and Games] polobunny:
Javascript (like a bookmarklet)? :D

There's a bunch of bookmarklets available on the web to darken or invert pages.

Additionally, one could also make a small proxy software that would run on your phone and modify things as they come in. More complicated, but it would work.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
That's probably what I should be looking for haha. The only problem is that the JavaScript would only run after the page is loaded. I'll look around for such a script and probably add this option in.
[Android Apps and Games] polobunny:
Yeah I agree, but definitely better than "nothing".
[Android Apps and Games] barth2:
Another possible option is to add your own CSS to the HTML. I don't know if that is possible with whatever component you are using. But if you can it will be faster than executing js and the page will be dark from the start. Something like

* { background-color: #111 !important; color:#eee !important;}

That's pretty crude and will mess up some stuff. But to me trying to read on white background for long period is uglier ☺

If you do get night mode to work, please be sure to add a toggle somewhere quickly accessible because there will be times when user needs to see page as intended and it will be a pain to go into the options menu.

Keeping my finger crossed!
[Android Apps and Games] brordavid:
Google +

?

Skickat från min Nexus 4 via Tapatalk
[Android Apps and Games] hubert_joost:
Fresh design

I am quite pleased with the simple design of the browser. Exept for 1 part: the tabs number next to the input field. Too large for my liking. Would it be something to take inspiration from the newly styled Google Chrome app which has a simple small square with the number inside. I feel that looks quite stylish. Anyway, that is my opinion. Iam not sure if you are about to change parts of the design at all. [IMG="Android Chrome Beta Tabs counter"]http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/chrome-beta-number1.jpg[/IMG]
[Android Apps and Games] Freak07:
I'd vote for a g+ community. But in case some users do not want to join g+ you could provide the apk somewhere in the tread. Or at least update the apk every few beta versions.

Your browser is great!
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
So I've created a G+ community that is publicly open and I will also publish the beta apks to Github as well. All I have left is to publish the beta apks to the play store.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Here we go folks. The betas are now live.

Join the Google+ Community in order to be able to access the Betas on Google Play.

The links to the betas are below. Note: You can't just search for the beta in the Play Store and instead to get to it you need a direct link.

Google Play​

Lightning Beta (Play Store)​

Lightning Plus Beta (Play Store)​

Thunder Beta​

If you don't want to join the Google+ Community, below you can get the latest APK from Github

Github​

Lightning APK​

Thunder APK​

I will be making a separate thread for Thunder Browser sometime in the future as it is different enough from Lightning that I don't want things getting mixed up between them. The Google+ Community is open to everyone, so feel free to tell others that might benefit from the beta about it, I'm not restricting it to people in this forum or anything. Also, if you wish to use the community to post bugs and other things feel free to, but please keep posts relevant (no spam, memes, or generally stupid posts).

Please note that all the above links I posted are present in the Google+ Community if you forget where to find them.​
[Android Apps and Games] Optimissimus99:
Huge Thanx, you are a awesome developer :)
[Android Apps and Games] iobling:
I don't know if I'm doing it wrong but the long press back button to exit doesn't work for me
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Make sure you're long pressing the device's back button and not the back button in the app drawer or on the action bar.
[Android Apps and Games] cherrrn:
Your browser is simply the best!!

PLEASE add «close all tabs» button, this would be super useful.

Also it would be very nice if you add background playback for youtube and other sites. I mean, in firefox I can start video playback on youtube and switch to another app, and video plays anyway, although I don't see it (but the sound plays well → useful for music videos).
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
I'm going to add a button like the "clear notifications" button that will close all tabs. I will also add some options on long press of a tab.
[Android Apps and Games] theSpam:
[MENTION=4544494]anthonycr[/MENTION] I tweeted you a while ago about the intent handling issue and I'm glad to see that you've implemented a fix!

However, with the newest beta release, I'm still seeing this issue with the Tumblr web UI and the Tumblr app. If you access any Tumblr page and click "Open in Tumblr" on the top right, the app doesn't open; I get redirected to a Google Play page to install the app. In Chrome, the Tumblr app will open and will display whatever requested page in the app.

Thoughts?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Can you post a link to a page with such an action on it? I don't use tumblr and a quick visit to a random tumblr page didn't show any "open in tumblr" button.
[Android Apps and Games] theSpam:
Sure, please have a look at http://community101.tumblr.com/post/83214241168/open-the-door-community-5-13
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
It looks like it's a problem with either the WebView as well as Tumblr. When I visit the link and press the open in tumble button it opens a new tab and proceeds to direct me to the play store. If I long-press the link and paste it into the search bar or choose "open in new tab" it opens the tumblr app correctly. Dolphin browser also performed in the exact same way so it looks like a problem with tumblr and webview. I can't fix either unfortunately. The code to open a link in another app works fine, but the webview isn't telling me a new URL is loaded that should be checked so I can't handle it and check the system for it.
[Android Apps and Games] theSpam:
Thanks for looking into this!

Glad to know that the workaround of long-pressing and opening in a new tab works.
[Android Apps and Games] iobling:
I am pressing the device back button but nothing happens
[Android Apps and Games] Ultramanoid:
They pretty much destroyed web browsing using WebView with KitKat. File upload is one of the few things ( only one ? ) they actually fixed starting with 4.4.3, and later. As has been mentioned, also working so far in L preview.

See if this helps you to fix it for 4.4.3 and 4.4.4 :

https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/webview/+/48c8233

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=54625009&postcount=117
[Android Apps and Games] xNAPx:
Any chance to have a file manager to upload files? I'm still depending on Chrome about this
[Android Apps and Games] bsinclair:
Is it possible to add, on user agent settings, both iPhone & iPad? On my galaxy tab iPhone string is the only one that makes lightning correct display the nfl site. I know I can use custom, but everytime I change back to mobile or desktop, I lose the custom string.
[Android Apps and Games] barth2:
One thing I miss from Firefox is you can double tap to zoom in intelligently on an element in just the right way. For example, double tapping in the main article text of a page will zoom the article text to fit the width of the screen. Or in a forum post, double tap in the comment column will fit it to the screen. Double tapping again will zoom out to the whole page again. It's extremely convenient on a mobile browser.

This is common to browsers on iOS, since they pretty much all use the same WebKit control safari uses. But most android browsers don't do this. I'm guessing it's not built in. How hard would this be to do?
[Android Apps and Games] juried:
Hmmm I use this routinely on this browser. It works just fine.
[Android Apps and Games] barth2:
^^^ oh I figured it out. Have to enable use wide viewport. Not sure why or when I turned it off. Do'h!

?
[Android Apps and Games] cherrrn:
Pleeeease add this background playback / multitask feature.

It literally drives me insane when I switch to another tab or app and youtube stops.
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
Inverted colors with black background is not yet implemented isn't it?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Unfortunately as mentioned above your comment file uploading doesn't work in KitKat.

Yes I can add those.

Saying this *literally* drives you insane is 100% an exaggeration, but I'm planning on adding this in some capacity.

It's in the beta.
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
Where is beta to download?
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Links are in the OP to both the APK download and the Google+ community which you can join to opt into the beta (community has all the links to the beta also).
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
I downloaded latest beta 3.10 a right? Where is the option for black background? Thanks
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Latest beta is 3.2 A. The option is in Settings > Rendering Mode.
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
I joined the google plus community, but on play store it didn't change, anything else I should do? And I couldn't find any link in that community to download

Thanks for the quick answers!
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
You have to visit the links in the community description: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/acr.browser.barebones
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
Thanks I downloaded them, what's the difference between lightning and thunder? Last question I promise!
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
The UI, Thunder has a more traditional tab layout.
[Android Apps and Games] Facuu:
Tried it, although it was not perfect, images colours also change sadly

Keep up the good work!
[Android Apps and Games] cherrrn:
trouble

I saw something strange on this page: w-o-s. ru / radio/news/11020 [remove spaces]

Screenshot attached.

In firefox everything was fine.
[Android Apps and Games] bsinclair:
Any news on the new version? Beta as posted is more than 1 month old, no new betas of final version.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Sorry, I don't have any news, I'm extremely busy with school right now.
[Android Apps and Games] Bronando:
Where can i find thunder? The play store says it cannot be found
[Android Apps and Games] barth2:
Google thunder browser github.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
You can either join the google+ community and then have access to the google play store beta version or you can download the apk from Github. The OP has all the links.
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Hey everyone,

Due to recent changes in the Google Play Developer policy, I'm going to have to make Lightning Browser+ free. Google has imposed restrictions requiring me to publicly disclose my address (which isn't that bad) as well as respond to every support email within a 24 hour period. As a student, I often don't even have enough time to eat every meal or sleep enough so it's likely that as an indie Dev with no marketing team I would end up violating the rules and probably getting my account banned. In light of these recent developments, I need to make Lightning+ free. The problem with this is that now there wouldn't be any reason to download the normal Lightning.... Ideally I'd like to merge the apps into a single free app, but getting rid of either version will be a nuisance for a number of users... Tens of thousands of free users on the one hand and a bunch of people who have been kind enough to support me on the other.

I'm looking for ideas on how to merge both versions without causing problems for users. NOTE: the latest beta has a feature that allows you to import and export bookmark backups so that's not a problem.

If anyone has any ideas that'd be great. Basically, I want to make the browser completely free... Maybe if I just make lightning+ free eventually all the users will migrate to it and eventually I'll be able to decommission the free version?

I'll loose my playstore ranking by removing the free version but ultimately present users not future users are the biggest priority.

Thanks for understanding, everyone :)

P.S. if I do make Lightning+ free and you purchased it within the last couple months and feel the need for a refund once it's free I'll gladly oblige.
[Android Apps and Games] polobunny:
That sucks. I don't think Lightning was a cash cow, but that work is yours and 24hr is quite short for a 1 man team.

As for suggestion, make an update to Lightning free. Once updated and on subsequent running of the app, have a popup window telling Lightning+ is now free and development for Lightning free is stopping with a button to go to the Play Store to download directly + another button to easy peasy migrate the bookmarks to Lightning+.

My 2 cents.

Still think you should just roll with the new policy, not make L+ free and live on the edge. :p
[Android Apps and Games] forgin:
You could just update the free option with the code from paid one and hcange the name of the free one to say its also plus. then when update, you just need to copy paste the source files. i see no other options :(

I am indie too, but well, its 3 days to answer via email, not just 24h, so rethink it. I am considerin forking your lightning browser to make my own browser, you made a great job on it!
[Android Apps and Games] Szczepanik:
Anthony, can't you set up an auto reply directing them to post here. That should meet the requirement to respond to every support email within a 24 hour period. You have seen that people here will answer questions. Wouldn't that work?

Cheers

Tom

My Note 2 to you
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
You know tom, that might work, but a lot of people don't use XDA obviously and as you need an account to post it isn't ideal. I was thinking of auto-reply, but if google makes such a rule, surely they'd do something to discourage auto replies.

Ultimately, I'm graduating next spring and getting a job as an engineer so the few dollars I make per week off lightning isn't something keeping me from going broke during the semester anymore. It works out for me and I won't be missing the income stream.

Google is doing what they have to do to clean up the store and it just so happens that students devs are particularly vulnerable.
[Android Apps and Games] polobunny:
Hey man you know how it is in life:

Have time to do things > You have no money

Have money to do things > You have no time

Key is finding the perfect balance of time & money. Sometimes less is more (unless that means you'll drop Lightning, then I retract what I just said). Money can always be made, but be cautious, time can't. =)
[Android Apps and Games] anthonycr:
Haha I know the saying, but honestly I think it's gonna be the other way around for me. I had the most free time AND money while at my internship this summer, while now I'm just consuming my money and have no time. My school works weird like that where they fill up your time completely and leave you no free time... Ah the life of an engineer.
[Android Apps and Games] polobunny:
Lovely social life I'm sure with no money and no time!

Good luck either way, eventually the stars will align and it will get better... maybe :p